#GraduationSeason…. It’s that time of year again and once again I was overwhelmed with excitement and pride!! These AFAM graduates 🎓 were the highlight of the weekend !! Being able to watch many of them grow and mature as budding scholars fills my heart with joy !!
Every semester these students continue to affirm and confirm my purpose as a professor and a Black woman in higher ed!!
Thank you Kai Cumberbatch-Smith, Stephani Fowlkes, Taylor Givens, Taylor Gray, Amiya Hairston, Tarazha Jenkins, and Tania Kendrick !!
Another great class that goes in the books!!
A little snapshot into the Fall 2023 AFAM Graduation festivities!!
Congratulations 🍾 !! Now it’s time for you to change the world 🌍 !!
Whether you have a Thanksgiving routine with your family or want to start some new traditions check out this Turkey Day watch list…
Network Television
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade [8:30 AM- 12:00 PM/ET, on NBC]
The 2023 National Dog Show [12:00 PM/ET on NBC]
Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions [12:30 PM/ET on FOX]
Washington Commanders vs. Dallas Cowboys [4:30 PM/ET on CBS]
San Francisco 49ers vs. Seattle Seahawks [8:20 PM/ET on NBC]
—
Streaming Networks
**Netflix
Rustin: Activist Bayard Rustin faces racism and homophobia as he helps change the course of Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington.
Best. Christmas. Ever!: After a twist of fate brings their families together for Christmas, Charlotte sets out to prove her old friend Jackie’s life is too good to be true.
The Killer: After a fateful near miss, an assassin battles his employers — and himself — on an international hunt for retribution he insists isn’t personal.
Leo: A coming-of-age musical comedy about the last year of elementary school as seen through the eyes of a class pet.
**Hulu
The League: The dynamic journey of Negro League baseball’s triumphs and challenges is told through previously unearthed archival footage and interviews with legendary players.
Quiz Lady: A hilarious and heartfelt comedy starring Awkwafina and Sandra Oh as estranged sisters forced to cover their mother’s gambling debts, set out to get the cash the only way they know how – by turning Anne (Awkwafina) into a bona-fide gameshow champion.
Season 5-Fargo: In this anthology series inspired by the 1996 film, each season follows a mostly new cast of characters who get involved with murder investigations in different Midwestern towns, with seemingly unrelated crimes sometimes being connected in some way.
**Disney+
Dashing Through the Snow: After a traumatic experience, Eddie Garrick, a social worker, no longer believes in the magic of Christmas. At the request of his estranged wife, he brings his daughter Charlotte to work where a magical adventure begins for them.
The Naughty Nine: Mischievous fifth grader Andy finds himself without a visit or presents from Santa on Christmas morning. Realizing he must have landed on the “naughty list” and feeling unfairly maligned, Andy pulls together a team of eight other “naughty listers” to help him execute an elaborate heist at the North Pole to get the presents they feel they deserve. Along the way, the group comes to realize that the very best way off the naughty list is to redirect their unique talents for good — instead of mischief.
Season 2-Loki: The second season of the American television series Loki, based on Marvel Comics featuring the character of the same name, sees Loki working with Mobius M. Mobius, Hunter B-15, and other members of the Time Variance Authority (TVA) to navigate the multiverse in order to find Sylvie, Ravonna Renslayer, and Miss Minutes.
**Max
Blue Beetle: Jaime Reyes suddenly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology called the Scarab. When the Scarab chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he’s bestowed with an incredible suit of armor that’s capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the superhero Blue Beetle.
The Gilded Age: The Gilded Agefollows a young woman who moves in with her old-money aunts and quickly gets entangled in the social war between them and their new-money neighbors. In a world on the brink of the modern age, will she follow the rules of society or forge her own path?
Rebuilding Black Wall Street: A six-part docu-series focusing on the ongoing reconstruction of the Greenwood District of Tulsa, which was destroyed in the 1921 massacre.
**Paramount +
Good Burger 2:Dexter Reed and cashier Ed reunite at fast-food restaurant Good Burger with a hilarious new group of employees.
Lawmen: Bass Reeves: American Western television series based on the life of the first African American Deputy U.S. Marshal west of the Mississippi River, Bass Reeves
Milli Vanilli:The story of Robert Pilatus and Fabrice Morvan, featuring interviews with the real singers, record executives, the producer mastermind behind the deception and exclusive interviews with Rob and Fab.
Apple TV+
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving:Peppermint Patty invites everyone to Charlie Brown’s for Thanksgiving, even though he’s going to see his grandmother; Snoopy decides to cook his own version of a Thanksgiving meal with help from his friends.
Lessons in Chemistry:In the 1950s, Elizabeth Zott’s dream of being a scientist is challenged by a society that says women belong in the domestic sphere; she accepts a job on a TV cooking show and sets out to teach a nation of housewives way more than recipes.
—
**In Theaters
Wish
Thanksgiving
The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
For those preparing to celebrate Halloween, I wanted to share a recent feature that I am included in as well as my Top 20 Fave Horror movies!! Now while I’m not necessarily an active Halloween participant (anymore), I am a fan of a great horror/thriller movie!! On this past Monday I was featured in a VCU News article, “What’s your favorite scary movie? A horror film watch list for October.” The article features recommendations from VCU faculty, staff, and students on their favorite horror movies! I selected the 1992 classic film, Candyman! See an excerpt below:
“Candyman”is a classic example of how a film can and does eloquently have a conversation surrounding racism, Black pain and historical memory. This in many ways is what separates it from other horror films, telling the story of a mysterious Black man who comes back to life after being brutally executed.
Lead character “Daniel Robitaille” (played by Tony Todd) from Candyman (1992)
In addition to the above feature, I wanted to share my Top 20 Fave Horror/Thriller films! You can watch these on Halloween or any other day when you need that horror fix!
Now this list is in no particular order, just simply a feature list:
Candyman (1992 and 2021)
The Blackening (2023)
His House [Netflix] (2020)
Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)
Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019)
Master [Prime Video] (2022)
Eve’s Bayou (1997)
The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster (2023)
Get Out (2017)
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Ganja & Hess (1973)
Tales from the Hood (1995)
Us (2019)
Smile (2022)
Nosferatu (1922)
Midsommar (2019)
The Exorcist (1973)
Carrie (1976)
The Craft (1996)
So many stories to tell, so many viewpoints to share, and plenty of chills to crawl up your spine!! Try one, or try them all, trust me there is at least something for everyone!!
When are in full Autumn mode!! So what better way to finish out the month than to find a good book to dive into! Much like in the summer, I quite enjoy sitting on my balcony, feeling the cool breeze come through, while the sun hits my face! To get you in the Fall mood, I have a nice selection of literary treats for you to pick from below.
Get those coins ready!!
Check out this month’s recommendation below:
Family Meal ~Bryan Washington
Goodbye Earl: A Revenge Novel ~Leesa Cross-Smith
How Far You Have Come ~Morgan Harper-Nichols
Black Joy ~Edited by Charlie Brinkhust-Cuff and Timi Sotire
Holler, Child ~Latoya Watkins
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty ~Akwaeke Emezi
The Princess of Thornwood Drive ~Khalia Moreau
Danni’s Juke Joint Comfort Food: Modern–Day Recipes, Ole Skool Flavas~Danni Rose
As an extra bonus spotlight, check out this Black-owned bookstore in Houston, TX called “Kindred Stories”!!
Don’t forget to support your local bookstores and libraries!!
And remember you can always go back and check out the previous month’s list and past recommendations in the “Resource” section of the website!
“The writer cannot expect to be excused from the task of reeducation and regeneration that must be done. In fact, he should march right in front.”
We have a nice line-up of film and television for you to check out!! The weather is changing, a little more crisp in the air, so why not bundle up and watch something new!! Check out this week’s new trailers, see below:
Season 2-Invincible (Streaming on Prime Video November 3rd)
The Curse (Streaming on Showtime/Paramount+ November 10th)
Squid Game: The Challenge (Streaming on Netflix November 22nd)
Faraway Downs (Streaming on Hulu November 26th)
Candy Cane Lane (Streaming on Prime Video December 1st)
Mark Your Calendars BFF Family and Friends!! I wanted to make sure I shared this upcoming event with you that will be taking place next week! I will be giving a guest lecture/conversation to one of my good friend and colleague Dr. Julian Chambliss’ Afrofuturism course spotlighting Janelle Monáe.
During this lecture/conversation, I will discuss Monáe’s role and impact, as a musician and artist, within the framework of Afrofuturism. This event is part of IAH 207: Afrofantastic: Race, Power, and Gender in the Black Imaginary at Michigan State University.
Check out the flyer and registration details below:
Today was all about getting in some downtime from the past few days. Nothing like taking in the waves and enjoying the beach!
Got a chance to watch the waves come in and even did a horseback ride on the beach. This was actually quite a fun experience especially once they got into the water. Who would have thought horses enjoyed walking in the water!
All in all, today was a good day. A much needed one full of continued relaxation!! With all that said…See you tomorrow!